Summaries of Reports of State Hospitals Central Islip June 1, 1912. Dr. Adeline M. Prescott, from medical interne to woman physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. Louis S. London, from junior physician to assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. William A. Conlon, from junior physician to assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. William N. Barnhardt, from junior physician to assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. J. Berton Allen, frem junior physician to assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. George W. Mills, from second assistant physician to senior assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. Horatio G. Gibson, from second assistant physician to senior assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. Charles M. Burdick, from second assistant physician to senior assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. Joseph W. Moore, from second assistant physician to senior assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. Charles L. Vaux, from second assistant physician to senior assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. Geoffrey C. H. Burns from second assistant physician to senior assistant physician. July 1, 1912. Dr. David Corcoran, from second assistant physician to senior assistant physician. Aug. 1, 1912. Dr. Theodore W. Simon, from assistant physician to senior assistant physician. Aug. 1, 1912. Dr. Albert E. Ellman, from assistant physician to senior assistant physician. TRANSFERS April 1, 1912. Dr. Archibald W. Thompson, junior physician to Hudson River State Hospital. RESIGNATIONS Dec. 1, 1911. Dr. Julius L. Waterman, medical interne. STATISTICAL INQUIRIES It is planned to extend the scope of the statistical inquiries made by the Commission. A committee will be appointed, which will represent the various departments in the service, to consider this important question. The Commission is convinced that, as a result of the careful scientific studies now being made at the various institutions, and as a consequence of the more modern methods now in vogue, much better use can be made than at present of the great mass of information which is being gradually accumulated. Special studies of the different psychoses should be made at the various hospitals, and if proper reports to the Commission are made, owing to the wealth of material available, information could be obtained which has not been compiled heretofore. Alcoholism and general paresis should lend themselves particularly to further investigation and study. We should know what, if any, definite connection exists in the cases reported between general paresis and the syphilitic infection preceding it. It would be of great value also to know how many years before the first symptoms of general paresis are manifested the presence of syphilis was noted and in what percentage of cases an apparent cure was obtained as the result of mercurial or other treatment. Many other aspects of this question will readily suggest themselves for further studies. Further investigations, to throw light on the definite relation between insanity and the transmission of hereditary defects, are of the greatest importance. The information necessary for such studies should be furnished by the hospitals, and an effort will be made during the coming year to systematize the statistical data which should be obtained from them for such purposes. This work should be conducted by the statistician, under the direction of the Commission, the director of the institute and a committee of superintendents. STATISTICS OF THE INSANE CENSUS, SEPTEMBER 30, 1912 On September 30, 1912, there were 33,972 insane patients in the State hospitals and private licensed institutions under the general supervision of the State Hospital Commission. The increase in the number of patients during the year was 661. In 1911, the increase was 653; in 1910, 1,118; in 1909, 1,083; and in 1908, 1,364. The comparatively small increases of the past two years reflect the work of the Bureau of Deportation in returning a large number of the alien and nonresident insane to their homes in other countries and states. As noted elsewhere in this report the Bureau of Deportation removed 1,126 insane persons from the State in 1911, and 1,753 in 1912. Only 469 were removed in 1908. The ratio of the insane in institutions to the general population of the State in 1912 was 1 to 282; in 1911, 1 to 281; and in 1910, 1 to 279. Had none of the alien and nonresident insane been removed from the State these ratios would have been greatly increased. Among the males the ratio of the insane population to the general population in 1912 was 1 to 293; in 1911, 1 to 291; and in 1910, 1 to 289. Among the females the ratio of insane to the general population in 1912 remained the same as in 1911, namely, 1 to 273. In 1910 the ratio was 1 to 269. The sex distribution of the insane patients under treatment in the various institutions was as follows: It should be noted that although there is a larger number of males than of females admitted each year to the institutions for Statistics of the Insane the insane the number of females remaining in the institutions exceeds that of the males. Such excess of females is due principally to three causes: (1) The longevity of the insane females is greater than that of the males. Table 26 giving the average age at death of the patients dying in the several State hospitals shows that the average age at death of the males in 1912 was 53.5 years and of the females, 55 years. (2) The number of males among the cases of general paralysis and of alcoholic insanity greatly exceeds that of the females. The paretic patients usually die within two or three years after entering the hospitals, while the alcoholic patients commonly recover and are discharged within a few months after admission. (3) The Bureau of Deportation removes from the State many more males than females. In 1912, for example, 1,018 males were removed as compared with 735 females. In the hospitals for the criminal insane the males greatly outnumber the females while in the private institutions the reverse condition is found. ANALYSIS OF STATISTICAL TABLES (See pages 349-416.) Table 1. General statistics of the State hospitals for the insane, page 349. This table sets forth the admissions, discharges, transfers and deaths of patients occurring in each of the fourteen civil hospitals during the year. The table also gives the status with reference to support of the patients remaining in the hospital at the close of the year and shows the number on parole from each hospital and the average number on parole during the year. At the beginning of the fiscal year there were 31,051 patients in the civil hospitals. Inclusive of tranfers there was a total of 8,146 patients admitted; exclusive of transfers, the number was 7,336; of these 5,742 were first admissions and 1,594 readmissions. Included among the readmissions in this table are 53 patients who entered the hospitals as voluntary patients and were afterwards committed. Although these patients have had a Statistics of the Insane continuous hospital life since their voluntary admission their legal status was changed by discharging them as voluntary patients, and committing them as provided by the Insanity Law. Including these voluntary cases 4,099 patients were discharged; 2,690 died and 784 were transferred to other institutions for the insane, leaving a total of 31,624 patients on the books of the hospitals. A comparison of the general movement of patients in the civil hospitals in 1912 and in 1911 is shown in the following tabulation: Comparison of the Movement of Patients in the Civil State Hospitals, 1912 and 1911 The net increase in patients in 1912 was 573 as compared to 606 in 1911. This reduction in the rate of increase is remarkable as it accompanied a reduced death rate. The number of patients dying in the civil hospitals was 195 less in 1912 than in 1911. The difference in the number of deaths in the two years among the males was only 26 while among the females it was 170. The number of recoveries in 1912 was affected by the increase in the number of deportations. Although the total discharges in |